Five charged in shooting death of Lac du Flambeau man

The Wisconsin Department of Justice says five people have been arrested in the death of Wayne Valliere Jr., 25, whose body was found Jan. 1, 2018 in Iron County.(Photo: Wisconsin Department of Justice)

HURLEY - Five northern Wisconsin men were charged Wednesday with the shooting death of a Lac du Flambeau man Dec. 22.

Richard F. A. Allen, 27, of Hurley, Joseph D. Lussier, 26, of Eagle River, James B. Lussier, 19, of Woodruff, Curtis A. Wolfe, 26, of Rhinelander and Evan T. Oungst, 27, of Hurley, all are charged with being a party to the crimes of first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse in connection with the death of Wayne M. Valliere Jr. of Lac du Flambeau.

Valliere was shot eight times, twice in the head and six times in the back, according to the criminal complaint. His body was found hidden behind a berm off Swamp Creek Road in the Iron County town of Mercer. Oungst led police to the body on Jan. 1, according to the reports.

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Joseph Lussier told another man that he had killed Valliere, according to court records. Lussier said he had been at a party with Valliere and Allen, when Valliere told Allen that Valliere was supposed to be a confidential informant for police and was supposed to set up Allen and some other people, according to the report.

Allen wanted to kill Valliere at the party, but Joseph Lussier stopped him, according to the complaint. Instead, a group of people including Valliere, Allen, Joseph and James Lussier, Wolfe and Oungst went for a ride in a van, according to the reports. The men were giving Valliere methamphetamine and Valliere knew it was going to be his "last ride," according to the records.

The group drove to a deserted area in Mercer, they got out of the van and the defendants started beating on Valliere, according to the documents. Allen told another man that Allen gave Valliere a chance to fight for his life, but eventually Valliere said he was ready and Allen pulled out a gun and shot him in the head, according to the complaint.

Allen said he was flashing the gun during the whole drive and Valliere knew he was going to die, according to court records. Wolfe, James and Oungst got rid of the body, according to the reports.

Oungst and Allen are in the Iron County Jail, Joseph Lussier is in the Vilas County Jail and Wolfe is in the Oneida County Jail, according to online records. James Lussier is not listed as being in jail, according to records. No court appearances had been scheduled as of Wednesday morning.